30 The Ruffed Grouse 



To the hen this new advance was even more convincing than the 

 first. His appeal was simply irresistible. He pecked gently at the base 

 of her bill, then, placing first one foot and then the other upon her 

 back he mounted for coition. She responded with slightly raised tail, 

 spread wings, and body flat to the ground. 



Probably the most peculiar aspect of the sexual relations in the 

 grouse ( and possibly in most birds ) is the apparent lack of recog- 

 nition of sex, as such. Differences between birds seem to be exempli- 

 fied as relative strength or weakness, audacity or timidity. Not only 

 will a strong male attempt coition with any subjugated bird, whether 

 male or female, but timid males may actually accept such advances. 

 In captivity, and possibly in the wild, this exhibiting of physical 

 superiority is not confined to sexual activity. Once a bird is decisively 

 beaten, regardless of sex or by what sex, it attains an inferiority com- 

 plex, and from then on is easily drubbed by any other bird in the 

 pen. If not removed, it will be killed but, if placed in isolation for a 

 time, it often will regain its self-confidence. 



Sex Rhythm. Why should the male bird have challenged his visitor 

 to a duel upon the first meeting, and received her as a mate upon the 

 second? The explanation lies in the phenomenon called by Allen 

 (op. cit. ) "sex rhythm." Both sexes have a short, restricted mating 

 period, which may recur several times during the spring season. 

 Only when both birds are in the mating phase of their physiological 

 cycles will mating take place. At other times, without this syn- 

 chronization, and regardless of whether either bird alone is in oes- 

 trus, mating will not take place. In these periods fighting— the 

 working of the law that only the fittest can survive— is the order of 

 the day. 



Displays that appear superficially to be courtship or mating per- 

 formances may take place at any time of year, by birds of either sex 

 or any age. These are primarily the manifestation of the continuous 

 urge to show superiority. Coition is often attempted, by either sex 

 with either sex or by chicks as young as a single week old, but these 

 exhibitions of male behavior are in reality an attempted demonstra- 

 tion of individual physical superiority. 



Drumming. The truest exhibit of the male character is in his drum- 

 ming. At once a challenge to other males or an invitation to receptive 



